Without gadgets James Bond is Jason Bourne

Last weekend I finally saw "Quantum of Solace" the new James Bond film.

I have never really seen Daniel Craig as James Bond. He is a good action hero but he lacks a lot in the suave mystique area. And that area is very much a part of James Bond. If they are going to insist on Daniel Craig as James Bond, with that loss, then they need to bring back Q. Q is the branch and person where James Bond gets all his nifty and sometimes imaginary gadgets. Spies always have gadgets, but for some reason they have decided to do without them in the last to Bond films staring Daniel Craig.

Oh yes he has had gadgets but they are really nothing more than what anyone else can get. A portable defibrillator? Airplanes, sporting events, entertainment venues, even private citizens have them. A cell phone with maps and navigation? Seen the latest Verizon commercial?

Even the homing tag/chip under his skin isn't that far out. We already chip pets with all their information. With the fact that that technology is already part of cell phones, I don't find it that fantastic.

Guns as part of canes and umbrella poles, watches that can do this that or the other thing, cars with secret weapons, THAT'S James Bond! The absence of such, and the beloved Q character makes this feel like Dr. Who with Peter Davison (5th Doctor).

(He came in as the Dr. minus all gadgetry after very popular (and gadget heavy) Tom Baker's "Doctor." Davison's version of the Doctor and his popularity suffered. One of the reasons was the loss of the gadgets. )

Unless they are saying that there is nothing that Q can invent, or 007 can have that won't seem part of the "fantastic" now - James Bond is missing a vital piece of his "world."

I didn't realize how big a piece of his world was missing until with watching "Quantum of Solace" I was struck by deja vu. In the movie 007 is chasing the bad guy over parts of an old European city. He is running on roof tops and jumping from balconies to open windows, etc. and it hit me. I've seen this before in The Bourne Ultimatum. (except the setting was an old section of a Middle East city)

I didn't say anything about my revelation. As we walked out of the movie my husband said "I felt like I was watching Jason Bourne."

"OMG! You too!" came my response.

And we both agreed, in 007 current form he's little more than Jason Bourne with an English accent. And the original Jason Bourne is better.

(And btw while I do appreciate the touch screen conference/display table was really cool. I find it hard to believe that M would not have an actual office. What I guess was supposed to be her office was a high tech large room with either halo, smart technology or jumbotron, display while speaking with Bond. But I've ready seen this before.)

It Will Be a Green Summer

Atleast 2 movies are coming out this summer with overriding "green" themes. And they should compliment each other very nicely.

The first movie is "An Inconvenient Truth"

For more information see http://www.climatecrisis.net/ Pledge to see the movie

The other movie is "Who Killed The Electric Car"

The trailer is embedded on the site

I hope both these films are well attended by middle schoolers on up, and that they provoke discussions with in the family, among friends and in the classroom next school year. I also hope that will change the way many people view this government and cooperations and their greedy, irresponsible behavior.

Much like the movie "Supersize Me" changed eating habits for many (I know in this house my kids stopped asking for cookies and chips, and started eating more salads and fruits) these movies may change enivormentally harmfull habits.

Early in April 2006 I had to purchase a new car. Though I looked at several cars from US manufacturers, my top three choices were a Honda Accord, Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry. Cars built by American manufacturers just didn't have what I wanted, from a locking door for the gas cap, to side curtain air bags, to decent fuel economy and possible hybrid technology. Cars from the "American" manufacturers even got another mark against them when I found out thru Kelley Blue Book that Chevy, etc. were assembled in Canada. Honda, Nissan and Toyotas cars were assembled here in the US. So to support US workers I had to buy a "foreign" car.

I also looked for a hybrid, but Toyota's hybrid Camry wasn't due out until May, and I needed a car immediately. Missan didn't have one and Honda's was $10,000 more than I could afford.

I bought the Honda Accord. There are many more reasons why that I will not go into in this posting. But one of it's greatest selling points is that it is a Partial Zero Emission Vehicles (PZEV).

It's important to me.

updated: Please sign the petition